Androgen-Induced Changes in the Response Dynamics of Ampullary Electrosensory Primary Afferent Neurons

Male stingrays use their ampullary electroreceptors to locate mates, but the effect of gonadal androgens on electrosensory encoding during the reproductive season is unknown. We tested the hypothesis that gonadal androgens induce neurophysiological changes in the electrosense of male Atlantic stingr...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Journal of neuroscience 2000-11, Vol.20 (22), p.8586-8595
Main Authors: Sisneros, Joseph A, Tricas, Timothy C
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Action Potentials - drug effects
Action Potentials - physiology
Animals
Dasyatidae
Dihydrotestosterone - administration & dosage
Dihydrotestosterone - blood
Drug Implants
Electric Stimulation
Male
Microelectrodes
Neurons, Afferent - cytology
Neurons, Afferent - drug effects
Neurons, Afferent - physiology
Seasons
Sensory Receptor Cells - drug effects
Sensory Receptor Cells - physiology
Sensory Thresholds - drug effects
Sexual Behavior, Animal - drug effects
Sexual Behavior, Animal - physiology
Skates (Fish)
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Summary:Male stingrays use their ampullary electroreceptors to locate mates, but the effect of gonadal androgens on electrosensory encoding during the reproductive season is unknown. We tested the hypothesis that gonadal androgens induce neurophysiological changes in the electrosense of male Atlantic stingrays. During the primary androgen increase in wild males, the electrosensory primary afferent neurons show an increase in discharge regularity, a downshift in best frequency (BF) and bandpass, and a greater sensitivity to low-frequency stimuli from 0.01 to 4 Hz. Experimental implants of dihydrotestosterone in male stingrays induced a similar lowered BF and bandpass and increased average neural sensitivity to low-frequency stimuli (0.5-2 Hz) by a factor of 1.5. Primary afferents from long ampullary canals (>3 cm) were more sensitive and had a lower bandpass and BF than did afferents from short canals (
ISSN:0270-6474
1529-2401
DOI:10.1523/jneurosci.20-22-08586.2000